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Jean Grae Gives a Nod to Nerd Culture for ‘Kill Screen’ Track

Jean Grae’s new track, “Kill Screen,” from her forthcoming album Gotham Down pays homage to The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters, a documentary that peeks into the life of die-hard gamer, Steve Wiebe, as he attempts to get the world’s highest score in the arcade game Donkey Kong. MTV Hive chatted with the New York rapper about the gamer inspired song:

What’s the meaning behind the title “Kill Screen (aka Steve Wiebe)”?

I watched The King of Kong and thoroughly both respected and understood [Donkey Kong master] Steve Wiebe’s drive and passion. I like rooting for the underdog. I understand being the underdog.

You produced the song yourself. What sort of vibe were you going for?

Something eerie [and] sparse that allowed for a lot of room for wordplay; a lot of room to breathe on the track. I look at beats like a canvas: Sometimes you want a lush, full landscaped background, other times it deserves to be something more minimalistic. I wanted to paint on a minimal canvas.